Hair winding mandrel with obscuring means



June 28; 1966 D. H. ROEPNACK 3,2 8, 6

HAIR WINDING MANDREL WITH OBSCURING MEANS Filed Oct. 21, 1965 FIG. 4

INVENTOR DOROTHEAH.ROEPNACK ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,258,016 Patented June 28, 19.66

3,258,016 HAIR WINDING MANDREL WITH OBSCURING MEANS Dorothea H. Roepnack, 1 Slaytonbush Lane, Utica, N.Y. Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 500,090 9 Claims. (Cl. 132-40) This invention relates to a curling device for retaining natural hair on the head of a user in curled condition while avoiding the customary unsightly appearance attending the use of curlers.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a curling device which, while in use, produces a pleasing appearance to such an extent that casual observation will not reveal the fact that curlers are in use.'

A curling device for retaining natural hair in curled condition on the head of a person in accordance with the present invention comprises natural hair engaging means having portions adapted to lie adjacent and remote respectively, relative to the head of the person, a curled body of hair for obscuring the remote portions of the engaging means, and means retaining the curled body of hair in obscuring position relative to the engaging means. The curling device may comprise a roller and a clamping member embracing the roller for securing the natural hair on the roller. Such clamping member is preferably resilient and may assume the form of a split sleeve. The clamping member may be pivotally connected to the roller. The curled body of hair may be human hair. The retaining means may include adhesive material and/ or stitching, and preferably, the curled body of hair will substantially match the natural hair of the person.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow a description of the accompanying drawing where- FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting the invention as embodied in one type of curler;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the components of FIG. 1 shown in assembled relationship;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of another type of curler, in extended position, embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the curler of FIG. 3 shown in contracted position.

The hair curler depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a mandrel or roller in the form of an open framework terminating in annuli 12 bearing substantially radical lugs 14. This roller, of more or less conventional configuration, is composed of a plastic material and is used by wrapping the natural hair of the user about it. When the hair of the user has been applied to the roller 10, the split clamping sleeve 16 of suitable resilient material such as plastic material is expanded sufficiently to snap into place about the roller 10 and the hair wrapped thereabout, whereupon the sleeve 16 will contract due to its inherent resiliency and clamp the coiled hair about the roller. The sleeve 16, shown as assuming the form of an open framework is of such length that it will be retained in position by the lugs 14 on the opposite ends of the roller 10 after the sleeve has been applied to the roller. The axial edges 18 of the sleeve define the slot through which the roller 10 is received. In use, the slot portion of the sleeve will be adjacent to the head of the user so that the continuous portion of the sleeve will be exposed remote from the head of the'user. Secured to one of the axial edges 18 of the sleeve by means of stitching 20 or adhesive, or 'both, there is a body of hair 22 in the form of one or more curls which will obscure the sleeve in its position on the head of the'user and will likewise obscure the roller 10 on which the natural hair of the user has been wound. Accordingly, when one or more curlers are in use, they will not be perceptible to the casual observer and will create a very pleasing appearance, as though no extraneous materials were present on the head of the user. The manner in which the device is obscured will be evident from the elevation shown in FIG. 2, where only the body of hair secured to the sleeve 16 will be apparent.

The invention has been illustrated as applied to another type of curler in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this case, the roller 26 is formed of a sponge material mounted on a rod 28 of plastic material having an exposed end 30 serving as a latching element for cooperation with a complementary latching element 32 formed integral with a resilient frame 34 pivotally related to the shaft 28. In this case, a body of hair 36 is secured to the upper arm 38 of the frame 34 by suitable adhesive material and/or stitching. When the natural hair of the user has been wound about the roller 26, the resilient frame 34 will be pivoted to its closed position so as to interrelate the latch elements 30 and 32 and thereby retain the curled natural hair in the desired condition. As depicted in FIG. 4, when the device has been contracted to so retain the natural hair in position, the body of hair 36 completely obscures the curler itself.

The body of hair 22 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and 36 of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be human hair that will match the natural hair of the user. On the other hand, for ornamental purposes, these bodies of hair may vary in appearance from the natural hair undergoing the curling operation.

-Whereas only two forms of curlers have been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the appended claims contemplate other embodiments involving curlers of other types.

I claim:

1. A curling device for retaining natural hair in curled condition on the head of a person comprising a mandrel on which the natural hair of a person is adapted to be wrapped, said mandrel having portions adapted to lie adjacent and remote respectively, relative to the head of the person, clamping means for securing the wrapped natural hair of the person on said mandrel, and a body of hair attached to said clamping means for obscuring said remote portions of said mandrel and said clamping means.

2. A curling device according to claim 1 wherein said mandrel comprises a roller and said clamping means embraces said roller for securing said natural hair on said roller.

3. A curling device according to claim 1 wherein said body is composed of human hair.

4. A curling device according to claim 1 including adhesive material attaching said body of hair to said clamping means.

5. A curling device according to claim 1 including stitching attaching said body of hair to said clamping means.

6. A curling device according to claim 1 wherein said 3 4 body of hair substantially matches the natural hair of References Cited by the Applicant the P UNITED STATES PATENTS 7. A curling device according to claim 2 wherein said 794 479 7/1905 Austin clamping means is resilient. 1,187,244 6/1916 Biancm 8. A curling device according to claim 2 wherein said 0 2,409,081 10/1946 Torrens. I

clamping means is a split sleeve.

9. A curling device according to claim 2 wherein said RICHARD GAUDET Primary Examinerclamping means is pivotally connected to said roller. L, W, TRAPP, A i t t Examiner, 

1. A CURLING DEVICE FOR RETAINING NATURAL HAIR IN CURLED CONDITION ON THE HEAD OF A PERSON COMPRISING A MANDREL ON WHICH THE NATURAL HAIR OF A PERSON IS ADAPTED TO BE WRAPPED, SAID MANDREL HAVING PORTIONS ADAPTED TO LIE ADJACENT AND REMOTE RESPECTIVELY, RELATIVE TO THE HEAD OF THE PERSON, CLAMPING MEANS FOR SECURING THE WRAPPED NATURAL HAIR OF THE PERSON ON SAID MANDREL, AND A BODY OF HAIR ATTACHED TO SAID CLAMPING MEANS FOR OBSCURING SAID REMOTE PORTIONS OF SAID MANDREL AND SAID CLAMPING MEANS. 